


David Jacobs and The Multitude of Excuses

by Irrelevantrelevancy



Category: Newsies (1992), Newsies - All Media Types, Newsies!: the Musical - Fierstein/Menken
Genre: Fluff, Idiots in Love, Mutual Pining
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-09
Updated: 2020-08-09
Packaged: 2021-03-05 20:55:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,700
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25811689
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Irrelevantrelevancy/pseuds/Irrelevantrelevancy
Summary: Jack Kelly was beautiful. Fiercely beautiful, in a way that made David’s head spin. It didn’t matter that his lips always seemed to be chapped or his hair was messy or the fact that he was always covered in paint. David smiled, it seemed that Jack ended the day with more paint on himself than his canvas.
Relationships: David Jacobs/Jack Kelly, Spot Conlon/Racetrack Higgins
Comments: 3
Kudos: 61





	David Jacobs and The Multitude of Excuses

**Author's Note:**

> Hi guys! i'm still really new to writing Jack/Davey so I hope you guys enjoy this!

Jack Kelly was beautiful. Fiercely beautiful, in a way that made David’s head spin. It didn’t matter that his lips always seemed to be chapped or his hair was messy or the fact that he was always covered in paint. David smiled, it seemed that Jack ended the day with more paint on himself than his canvas. It didn’t matter that he always wore the same hoodie, or doodled on the desks, or always laughed too loud. And it certainly didn’t matter that he made David’s heartbeat quicken if he even looked in his direction. It didn’t matter that he looked so damn handsome when he was painting, the way he stuck his tongue out, and seemed to pick apart every imperfection until he was satisfied. It didn’t matter that David had been madly in love with him since Freshman year.

None of that matters.

Because it was tech week of their final spring show and David had barely said more than two words to him. And the worst part of it all was that it wasn’t Jack’s fault, Jack was trying. David was just too much of a chicken to let him get too far.

_ “David, right?”he said, he hadn’t bothered to lift his gaze from the tree he was painting. David’s hands shook around his clipboard and he nodded until he realized Jack wasn’t looking. And after a few beats of silence he did look. He looked up at him through those hooded eyes and Davey had to get out of there. His eyes immediately flitted around the room looking for something, anything to complain about. He locked eyes with a freshman who was definitely doing something they weren’t supposed to and he jumped at the chance. _

_ “Put that prop down!” he was stomping across the theatre before Jack could say anything. _

Davey groaned, that sadly wasn’t the last time either.

_ “Hey, Davey!”Jack greeted. Davey’s eyes widened slightly and he squeezed the pen in his hand. No, no this wasn’t happening. He was running on two hours of sleep,a large dunkin donuts iced coffee and sheer spite. It didn’t seem like a good idea for him to be talking to anyone. Why did god hate him? He saw Jack walking closer and fumbled with his phone pressing it against his ear, he shot an apologetic look and spun around walking in the opposite direction. _

_ “Mama? Yes, i’m on a break right now” _

That wasn’t even the worse one.

_ He wasn’t having a good day. It was as simple as that. A conversation with his father at breakfast had snowballed into criticism over his plans for college once again and he was tired. He was tired of hearing about his wasted potential, and how it was his obligation to educate the ignorant. He just wanted to be a director, why was that so hard to accept? This argument led to his mother suggesting he walk to school that day, and he relented cause mother knows best. But he hated walking, the school wasn’t necessarily close and the walk signs took forever. He just wanted to disappear and the day had just started. Then he had a pop quiz in calculus that he definitely wasn’t ready for, then he got hit in the face with a dodgeball, and then the vegetarian option at lunch was just nonexistent so he was hungry. His only solace was that he got to go home early. He had practically jumped for joy the second the final bell rang. _

_ Until he was scheduled last minute for rehearsal that day. It shouldn’t have been such a big deal, they were usually so well behaved. But today must have been Spite David Day or at least that’s how he felt. Nothing went right, everyone had found some way to piss off the director, and she took her frustrations out on him for not ‘doing his job.’ So that’s how he found himself on the verge of a panic attack slumped against the wall of the auditorium. They were actively running the show, no one should’ve been out of the theatre. But out walked Jack Kelly, in all of his swagger. His eyes locked with Davey’s. Before he could even open his mouth, Davey had turned on his heels and ran. He ran until he was in a completely different wing and hid there until rehearsal was over. _

So yes, Jack was trying. Trying harder than most to befriend him, and it touched Davey, it really did. But it was hopeless now, the show was next week and then there would be no reason for them to talk again. Maybe it would be better that way, all he seemed to do was make excuses. If Jack wanted to forget his existence entirely he wouldn’t blame him. He didn’t like confronting his feelings anyways. Pining was familiar, it was something he could do in his sleep. Which he often spent most nights doing, but that wasn’t the point! The point was that he felt comfortable right where he was. The longing and pining from afar zone.

So it was fine. He had blown his chance and he would just have to get over it. That was something he was also good at doing, getting over things. There were only a few hours left of tech, then he could go home,complain to Sarah and maybe have a good cry over some ice cream. Well maybe not Sarah, she’d heard enough about Jack Kelly over the years that she could probably recite the way his eyes twinkled when he laughed just as good as Davey. She was also due to snap any day now from the stress of his pining and AP History. So no, definitely not Sarah. The family cat was just as good when it came to listening even though she  _ hated _ Davey. He’d go home,complain to Cosette--yes he had a phase--cry into his ice cream and then hopefully pass out on the couch.  _ Hopefully _ . He hadn’t been sleeping well and he was all out of melatonin.

“Okay!”The director shouted. He startled, smacking his head on the wall he was resting on.“That was good, take fifteen”

Fifteen? What kind of sick joke was this? He quickly sidestepped, narrowly avoiding a herd of actors running past him shouting.“Thank you fifteen!”

He took a deep breath and let his shoulders sag, thank you fifteen indeed. He leaned his head back against the wall. The director seemed to be in a good mood, maybe she’d let them go soon so he could get his pity party started early.

“Davey.”

Oh no. His eyes focused on the figure stalking towards him and he sucked in a breath. Honestly, why did god hate him? He couldn’t speak. He was expecting Jack to slow down but he continued barreling towards him. He’s not sure what he expected during this break, but it wasn’t a strong--god was he strong-- arm pulling him down the hallway into the boys dressing room. He sputtered as he was thrown inside and the door was locked behind them. And well, he froze. Deer in the headlights style because there was no way that still happened. He looked at the creases in his shirt from where it had been clenched, and he stared. He stared until a hand was snapping rapidly in his face. He looked forward and loandbehold there was Jack Kelly, looking about as pissed as he could muster. Which in his case was very, and honestly kind of terrifying. His eyebrows were furrowed in the most handsome way and his lips pulled up in a snarl.

Oh shit.

“What’s your problem?”He asked. That felt like a slap in the face and was once again something Davey was not expecting. He racked his mind for something to say, but he came up short. He was stunned. Jack waited a few beats before he exhaled harshly through his nose and shook his head.

“Huh?”He prompted, “You can’t even answer me?”

Davey winced and began shaking his head. His fingernails buried themselves in the palms of his hands as he desperately tried to stop the shaking. This isn’t how he wanted this to happen--hell he wasn’t even sure he wanted this to happen. The way he planned it happening was in the courtyard of the school, under that pretty cherry blossom tree that always bloomed so full. He’d have all the right things to say, he’d compliment Jack on his painting, say he’s seen him around the school. He’d be suave and daring and confident and everything that he currently wasn’t. While his inner turmoil was spinning Jack was pacing around the room, hands gripped in his hair, mumbling to himself. Damn, he even looked attractive ten seconds away from losing his shit. He spun to face Davey, eyes aflame.

“I ain’t asking you to like me, Davey”he said, he ran a hand through his hair. He seemed...he seemed nervous.“But at least let a guy know how you feel, this-this avoidin shit been stressin me out!”

“I’m sorry”Davey whispered. The words felt heavy on his tongue and he knew they were pathetic. He knew they weren’t the right thing to say, but maybe if he just apologized Jack would let it go. That seemed to do the opposite cause Jack let out a little laugh and shook his head.

“Don’t apologize Davey, it ain’t you. Just...am I out of my league here?”He asked, flinging his arms a bit “Like, was I gettin them hints all wrong?”   


“W-what?”Davey sputtered.

“I see the way you look at me”he said patiently, “But am I readin it all wrong?”

Maybe his subtle glances weren’t as subtle as he thought, but he didn’t want to read too deep into what Jack was saying. There was always room left for disappointment.

“Ho-how do i look at you then?”Davey asked.

“Like you wanna kiss me?”He questioned, “I don know!”

Davey felt his cheeks redden, and nope, nope this isn't happening. He bit his lip and followed Jack’s eyes as they travelled down to where his teeth sunk in. his heart did a little skip, as Jack took a step forward. He wanted to take a step back but his feet were firmly planted to the floor. Half of his brain was telling him to run, but the other half really wanted to see where this ended up going. Jack took another step forward, and another, until he was within arms reach.

“Do I..do I make you nervous, Davey?”he said quietly.

“Yes”Davey whispered, screwing his eyes shut. God he wasn’t ready for a first kiss, not this way, did he even floss this morning-his thoughts were stalled by a laugh. The same laugh that made his knees weak, so much so he found himself leaning against the table.

“ _ I’m _ sorry”he laughs, “I...I ain’t good at this stuff, my brothers Spot if that’s any excuse”

“Conlon?”Davey squeaks. Jack nodded his head.

“That’s the one”he said, “It’s just...I wanna know you, I wanna know Davey Jacobs”

“Y-yeah?”   


“Yeah”He said taking a smaller step forward, “I wanna know what makes you laugh, what makes you tick,how to help when you get all jittery, how to make you smile cause boy I’ve had my eye on you since the day I got here”

Something inside Davey snaps and he pushes at Jacks chest. “No”

“No?”He said, tilting his head. 

“Just no!”Davey exclaims, “You don’t wanna know me, this is all just some joke-”

“Davey-”

“And you’re gonna go running to your friends after rehearsal-”

“Davey please-”

“And I can’t let that happen because-”

“Davey!”he shouted, waving his arms. “I like you! I genuinely like you! I’ve liked you since the second term of Freshman year when you argued with the substitute on how World War one really started!”

Davey felt mortified and his face grew even hotter. “He...he was just really stupid, okay?”

“Yes, yes he was!”He exhaled, “and i liked that you weren’t afraid to tell him that! I like how fired up you get when you debate in English class, you scrunch your nose up and you talk a mile a minute”

“I-I”   


“You don’t gotta speak”He said, “Just let me do this. I like the way you care about the cast, you get snippy sometimes but it’s because you want the best for us. You’re good with the freshman, even though they’re little beasts. I think it’s cute how you caught the volleyball with your face last week-”

“Asshole”Davey muttered.

“Hey!”He huffed, “I got that guy back for you”

Davey’s eyes widened. “You’re the one who sent Oscar to the nurse?”

“Let’s just say I didn’t see him when I spiked the ball”He winked, “but honestly Davey, i’ve had my eye on you for a while. All of my friends have been giving me hell to make a move, and I was trying to but...you gotta let me know, am I wrong about all of this?”

“No”Davey whispered, “No you’re not i’m just...i’m not too good with feelings”

“That makes two of us”He chuckled, “I’ve been plannin’ to say all of that for weeks but you make me nervous too”

“I make you nervous?”Davey says in awe.

“Everytime you look at me I get my lines wrong”he said. “I’ve been off book for weeks, but seeing you look at me like I put the stars in the sky just...God, you’re killin me Davey”

“How?”Davey asked.

“Because you’re doing it right now”he smiled. Davey bit his lip and dropped his gaze but Jack grabbed his hand and squeezed, “I never said I didn’t like it, it does wonders for my ego”

“Shut up”Davey mumbled. 

“Now that I finally hunted you down? Never” He said. “I wanted to say this a few weeks ago but you ran and I...I wanted to give you space but, when all this tech shit is over. You wanna go get ice cream? I know a place, it’s across the bridge but-”

“Yes”Davey says immediately.

“Yes?”he exhales.

“Yes, I wanna,”Davey says.

“I would kiss you right now if you wasn’t shakin like a leaf,”he says, running his thumb over the back of Davey’s hand. And this, this was better than anything he could have imagined. 

“Aye can we pause the Romance!”Race yells from outside the door, “Director called places ten minutes ago and she’s gonna have my ass if I don’t come out with both of you!”

Davey froze. “She’s gonna kill me, she’s going to actually kill me”

“I’ll tell her you were helping me run my lines”He said, “I ain’t gonna let her kill you”

“Well if she isn’t gonna kill Davey, then it’s gonna be me so let’s go!”Race yelled.

“We’re coming, keep your shirt on!”

“Shouldn’t I be sayin that to you and your--oh”Race said, once they finally opened the door. “You two are decent, that’s surprising”

“Everyone ain’t a whore, Racetrack”He sighed, rolling his eyes. 

“Well that wasn’t very nice.”Davey said with a frown.

“Yeah Jack, that wasn’t very nice”Race smirked, “I think I like you Davey, if you get tired of this one you know where to find me”   


“Don’t let Spot hear you sayin that”

“Please”Race snorted, “like I care what Spot says”

“That’s not what I heard the other day-”

“Alright!”Race snapped, “Don’t gotta go embarrassing me in front of your boyfriend”

“He’s not-”

“We’re not-”   


“Yeah right”Race said, rolling his eyes. “The way Jack’s been goin on about you, you might as well be his husband”

And this time it was Jack’s turn to blush. His face turned scarlet and with a betrayed cry he was chasing Race down the hallway. Once they were out of sight Davey took a minute to collect himself and squealed. Cosette and Sarah would definitely be hearing about this when he got home.

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you guys enjoyed this! if you did leave a comment or come scream at me on my broadway tumblr which is @sugarbutterbroadway


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